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Designer Martine Rose and her eponymous brand have recently returned to the center of fashion public opinion.
At the recent London Fashion Week, Martine Rose finally presented her latest 2023 spring and summer series in the form of a show after a lapse of two years.
The reason why Martine Rose was widely discussed at this show was that LV CEO Michael Burke appeared in the front row of the show. For a time, rumors about Martine Rose “taking over Virgil Abloh” and “the best candidate for LV creative director” were rife.
Whether it is the understanding and interpretation of youth culture and popular subculture, or the integration of current fashion elements, Martine Rose does have many similarities with Virgil.
In addition to this big rumor, Martine Rose’s show was also full of highlights, including the debut of the latest collaborative shoes with Nike.
Based on the original Nike Shox R4 shoe shape, the shoe body is elongated and the square pointed toe design like leather shoes, while the heel still retains the iconic cushioning air column of the Nike Shox series, reshaping this pair of retro sneakers with a new and fashionable appearance.
This is not the first time that Nike Shox has appeared on the catwalk. As early as Comme des Garçons’ 19 spring and summer, the classic all-black and all-white Nike Shox Total was embellished with chains with the Comme des Garçons logo, giving it a high-end feel.
Coincidentally, Supreme also released its latest collaboration series with Nike in the latest 2022 Spring/Summer Lookbook, and the most popular co-branded shoe also used the Nike Shox Ride 2 shoe as its creative blueprint.
Different from the Shox R4 shoes chosen by Martine Rose, the overall mesh upper of Ride 2 is more sporty. The Supreme LOGO on the heel air column and the unique bright color scheme add more street flavor to this pair of sneakers.
From high-end fashion shows to street brands that symbolize rebellion, the frequent appearance of Nike Shox shoes with exaggerated soles and retro sports genes makes us curious why they choose it as the object of their own reinterpretation?
The first Nike Shox product was launched as early as 2000, and the model was the “R4” that was reshaped by Martine Rose today.
The Shox R4 caused a sensation as soon as it was released, with its streamlined body and futuristic silver paint. The most eye-catching feature was the completely exposed cushioning device at the heel of the R4. Therefore, this pair of shoes became the perfect embodiment of Nike’s design concept of the year, integrating avant-garde, technology and futurism.
Although Nike’s earliest visible cushioning technology can be traced back to the Air Max 1, which was launched in 1987, the visible air cushion design that could only be seen in a corner was enough to make people excited. Ten years later, the full-palm visible air cushion of Air Max 97 became Nike’s representative work in the application of technology.
But compared to the Air cushion, Shox’s exaggerated spring-like shape and the device design that is completely independent of the shoe itself can be regarded as a groundbreaking sports shoe among Nike’s many designs.
Nike Shox was launched in 2000, but the idea of using mechanical structure for cushioning, or Shox technology, was explored as early as 1984.
Bruce Kilgore, the designer of Air Force 1, became the first person to put it into practice. At that time, his shock-absorbing device design consisting of partitions and springs was also regarded as the predecessor and inspiration of Nike Shox by later generations.
Since then, Nike has begun experimental attempts with different materials and designs in the relationship between technological cushioning and energy feedback. It was not until 1997 that the upper and lower partitions and the air column design that used hollow foam materials instead of springs between the partitions gradually took shape. Nike Shox technology was finally presented on the R4, where “R” stands for “Running” and the number “4” refers to the four cushioning air columns.
Although the avant-garde design of Nike Shox R4 was hotly discussed at the time, what really made the Nike Shox series popular was the legendary NBA player and “half-man, half-god” Vince Carter.
Shortly after the release of R4, the Nike Shox family welcomed its second member, the Nike Shox BB4. This was also the first shoe in the Nike Shox series designed for basketball. So Nike signed Vince Carter, who was at the peak of his career in the league and the “Slam Dunk Contest Champion”, to endorse this shoe.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Vince Carter performed a “death dunk” against French center Frederic Weis, who was much taller than him. The birth of this famous scene also made the pair of BB4s on his feet quickly become the focus. Countless people even regarded the Shox technology equipped in BB4 as Vince Carter’s “take-off booster.”
In Vince Carter’s later career, BB4 can be said to have witnessed Vince Carter’s peak period, and Vince Carter became the best proof of Nike Shox technology in actual sports.
Nike Shox then continued to launch many series, from Nike Shox XT to TL (Total). The iconic Shox air columns also increased from the original four to seven in the XT series, and finally developed into the full-palm Shox in the TL series.
In addition, other shoes equipped with Nike Shox technology have also emerged in an endless stream, from the initial setting for running shoes to later covering basketball, training, outdoor and other usage scenarios. However, despite this, each release of a new product by Nike Shox has received a mediocre response.
Based on the avant-garde shape of Nike Shox, many people believe that the design aesthetics of this pair of shoes are more important than its functionality. Nike Shox consumers also said that the Shox technology on the sole is too hard and the feel on the foot is very average. People with light weight cannot step on the air column at all, and the extra height of the air column also causes them to get injured frequently during exercise.
In the feedback from consumers, the drawbacks of Shox technology in sports were clearly exposed. Under the dual pressure of the market and consumers, the “unpopular” Nike Shox seemed to be “shelved”. Even the later collaboration with football superstar Neymar and rapper Skepta failed to stir up much waves.
However, Nike Shox has a unique design aesthetic and a rich variety of styles and colors. At a time when retro sneakers have become a popular trend, it has become the choice of countless icons.
